Harborough district village bids for leisure centre

A village in the Harborough district has stepped up plans for its own £3.5 million leisure centre.

The proposed new Leisure Centre would be at Broughton Astley, north of Lutterworth, and could be open by the end of 2018.

The location for the proposed centre

Residents in the village, which has a population approaching 10,000, overwhelmingly asked for more leisure facilities when the parish council compiled the village’s Local Plan.

Parish manager Debbie Barber said: “It’s been a long-awaited desire, and the parish council is determined to deliver it.”

The proposed leisure centre would be on a site off the Broughton Way bypass, not far from Thomas Estley Community College.

Pupils from the College doing GCSEs in PE would be amongst the leisure centre’s daytime users.

The leisure centre would consist of a four-court sports hall, a 40-70 station gym, two dance studios and a cafe.

An artificial outdoor pitch and a swimming pool are aspirations for the future, but would not be part of phase one of the development.

Around £2.6 million of the cost is coming from housing developers - who are building more than 500 new homes in the village - as their contribution to local infrastructure.

The rest will come from grants and loans, said Debbie Barber.

Bids from potential operators have confirmed that the proposed facilities mix of a sport hall, gym / fitness suite and studios is affordable and sustainable.

A statement from the Parish Council this week said it was “fully committed to delivering what was voted on in the public referendum which approved the Neighbourhood Plan... and looks forward to confirming the details of the new leisure centre once the contract has been awarded.”